Late at night, with all sounds stilled, Ravenclaw Tower lay deep in sleep. Silas was wrapped in his blanket, sleeping like the dead—and, as he had said, sleeping naked—while the Levitating Cloak lay at the foot of his bed like a faithful blanket.
Suddenly, an urgent, hushed call and a gentle shaking jolted him awake from his deep sleep.
"Silas! Silas! Wake up!"
Silas groggily opened his eyes and, by the moonlight, saw Hermione Granger's anxious face right before him! He was instantly more than half awake from fright. He shot upright, wrapped himself tightly in the blanket, and stared in shock at Hermione, who absolutely should not have been here.
"Hermione?! H-How did you get into my dormitory?!" This was terrifying! This was the boys' dorm!
Hermione seemed not to notice his panic and spoke at top speed. "The knocker's question at the door was easy! It asked, 'What has ears but isn't an animal?' The answer is 'corn'! Because corn has ears! And girls can enter the boys' dormitories, but boys can't enter the girls' dormitories! Never mind that right now!"
She took a breath, her face full of worry and urgency. "It's Harry and Ron! The two of them are going to duel Malfoy in the Trophy Room at midnight because of what happened in flying class today! I couldn't stop them! Malfoy must have set a trap! I have to keep an eye on them so they don't get into huge trouble! Come with me! You have lots of ideas, and you can use that portal!"
As Silas listened, drowsiness swept over him again. He painfully rubbed his face, then flopped back onto his pillow, his muffled voice coming from beneath the blanket.
"Merlin's beard... Hermione, can't you just sleep properly? Why are you fussing over a duel in the middle of the night..." He rolled over, turning his back to Hermione. "I swear on my wand that Malfoy, that coward, will one hundred percent stand them up. He just wants to trick them into breaking school rules so Filch can catch them red-handed. Going there would be a waste of time. You might as well sleep."
Seeing that he was about to go back to sleep, Hermione grew even more anxious and reached out to tug at his blanket. "No! What if? What if they really fight? Or what if Filch catches them? Silas, get up!"
"Ah—!" Silas let out a strange cry, clutching the blanket for dear life and curling into a ball. Even his voice went shrill. "Let go! Don't pull it! I sleep naked! Naked! Do you hear me? I'm not wearing anything!"
Those words struck Hermione like a bolt from the blue. Her movements froze instantly, and her face turned scarlet all the way to her ears. As though she had been burned, she abruptly let go and staggered back several steps. "S-Sorry! I... I didn't know!"
Silas took the opportunity to wrap the blanket even tighter around himself, exposing only his messy head. He said irritably, "Now you know? Go back and sleep already! Trust me, Potter and Weasley will at most make a wasted trip, feed some mosquitoes, and get chased by Filch for a while. They won't die. If you go, you'll just get caught with them."
Hermione stood beside the bed, caught in a dilemma, her cheeks still flushed. On one hand, she felt Silas's analysis made sense—Malfoy probably would not show up. On the other hand, she truly could not stop worrying about those two impulsive boys.
Seeing her struggle, Silas sighed and used the last of his patience. "How about this? Go back. If they haven't returned in half an hour, come knock the door down, and I'll open a portal to take you to find them. All right? Now let me sleep!"
Hermione hesitated. Looking at Silas's posture of being prepared to defend his blanket and sleep to the death, she knew it was not realistic to drag him up by force. Besides, the embarrassment from before still lingered in her mind. In the end, she nodded. "Then... it's settled! If they haven't come back in half an hour..."
"Yes, yes, half an hour! Now get out, close the door, thank you!" Silas hurriedly cut her off and pulled his head beneath the blanket as well.
Hermione stamped her foot, but ultimately turned and hurried out of Silas's dormitory.
Only when he heard the door close did Silas let out a long breath. He poked his head out from beneath the blanket and stared lifelessly at the ceiling.
"Merlin... studying here is more exhausting than doing experiments in my last life..." After muttering that, he fell back into a deep sleep, deciding to completely forget Potter and Weasley's midnight adventure. As for his promise half an hour later? He would deal with it after he woke up!
An hour later, Silas's dormitory door was knocked on again, even more urgently than before. Silas covered his head with his pillow and tried to ignore it, but Hermione outside clearly had no intention of giving up.
"Silas! Silas! They really haven't come back! It's been almost an hour! If the professors catch them, Gryffindor..." Hermione's voice came through the door, edged with tears and extreme anxiety.
Silas abruptly sat up, frantically ruffling his hair as a barrage of obscenities raced through his mind. Resigned, he sighed, threw off the blanket—this time, he had wisely put on pajamas—and irritably grabbed his wand and cloak.
"Those two fucking idiots! Going out to get themselves killed instead of sleeping in the middle of the night! Fine, fine! Let's go! I seriously owe them!" Still cursing, he yanked the door open roughly.
When Hermione saw him come out, it was as if she had seen her savior.
Silas could not be bothered with nonsense. He raised his hand and drew a circle in the air, instantly opening a portal to a secluded corner near the Third Floor Corridor. "Hurry!"
The two passed through the portal and immediately heard terrified screams from deep within the corridor, mixed with the thunderous barking of a huge dog!
Silas's expression darkened. He quickened his pace and rushed forward, Hermione close behind. With one kick, he burst through the half-open door leading to the forbidden corridor and shouted irritably.
"What the hell are you two screaming about?! It's the middle of the night! Are you trying to die? Are you afraid Filch won't hear you?!"
The sight inside was horrifying: an enormous three-headed vicious dog blocked the corridor, its six savage eyes fixed on Harry and Ron, who had backed into a corner and gone pale with terror. Drool dripped constantly from its three gaping maws, giving off a foul stench. Harry and Ron's wands lay on the floor; they had clearly been scared senseless.
"Help! Silas! Hermione!" Seeing them was like seeing a lifeline for Harry.
Silas looked at the colossal creature, especially its three heads, which kept growling and baring dagger-like fangs, and fell into brief thought. He rubbed his chin, then said to Hermione beside him with complete seriousness.
"Hermione, I think... we should run. Forget these two idiots who got themselves into this mess. Just look at that dog. It obviously isn't something to mess with. It isn't worth losing our lives for them."
Hermione looked at the terrifying three-headed dog, her face just as frighteningly white. She swallowed with difficulty and actually nodded instinctively. "T-That... makes sense."
Harry and Ron's hearts sank halfway into their stomachs upon hearing that.
However, the instant Silas finished speaking, the three-headed dog seemed to be angered by their conversation—or perhaps it had simply grown impatient. Its middle head suddenly released a deafening roar, and its massive body lunged through the stench-filled air at Harry and Ron, who were closest to it!
"Run my ass!" Silas's expression changed. His earlier look of indifference vanished in an instant, replaced by sharp fury and resolve. He stepped forward and shielded Hermione behind him, his wand—or rather, he did not use his wand at all, merely forming rapid hand seals with both hands—tracing a complex golden pattern through the air!
"Today, I'm saving these two fucking idiots!"
A dazzling, enormous fan-shaped shield made of countless complex golden runes instantly unfolded before him! Powerful protective energy flowed across its surface, radiating a reassuring glow!
Seraphim Shield!
Boom!
The three-headed dog's heavy body slammed solidly into the golden shield with a muffled crash! Golden light rippled across the shield's surface, yet it did not budge in the slightest, perfectly blocking that deadly pounce! The tremendous impact even made all three of the dog's heads sway at once as it let out confused, furious whines.
Maintaining his spellcasting stance, Silas turned back and shouted at the stunned Harry and Ron, "What are you standing around for?! Pick up your wands! Get ready to run! My shield can't hold out much longer!"
Though his words were harsh, he had chosen to protect them without hesitation. That was Silas: he would complain that you were asking to die, yet when you truly were about to die, he would still pull you back without a moment's hesitation.
The Seraphim Shield stood like a solid golden wall, firmly blocking the fierce attacks of Fluffy, the three-headed dog. All six eyes in Fluffy's three heads showed confusion and deeper rage. It shook its dazed heads, let out an even lower growl, gathered strength again, and rammed the light shield with even greater force than before!
Boom—!
Another dull crash rang out. The golden shield flickered violently, but still remained firmly in place, though the glow at its edges dimmed slightly. Feeling the enormous pressure coming through the shield, Silas frowned.
"What, you're addicted to ramming it now? Feeling frustrated because you can't break through?" Silas looked at the restless Fluffy, a provocative curve forming at the corner of his mouth. "Then now... it's my turn!"
His left hand remained steady, maintaining the Seraphim Shield, while his right hand shot up, fingers spread wide and aimed at the massive creature temporarily held behind the shield. Vishanti's magic surged through his body, transforming into violent thunderous power!
Balzaha Lightning!
Crackle—!
A thick, massive bolt of bluish-green energy lightning burst from his palm like a giant serpent! Carrying a destructive aura and deafening crackles, it ripped through the air and struck Fluffy squarely in the chest beneath its middle head!
"Awooo—!!!"
Fluffy let out an agonized howl, its enormous body convulsing violently! Bluish-green electric snakes raced madly through its dense fur. Every strand of hair they passed stood on end and exploded outward, making it look like an enormous black hedgehog that had been frightened senseless! The powerful paralysis and searing pain made it lose its balance for a moment. It staggered backward until it was forced into the corner of the corridor, all three heads hanging painfully as it whimpered.
"Now! Run!" Seizing the opening, Silas immediately dismissed the Seraphim Shield and rapidly drew a huge portal behind him with both hands. On the other side was the corridor near the Fat Lady's portrait in Gryffindor Tower!
"Hermione! Take those two idiots! Get in there!" Silas shouted at the terrified Hermione while holding the portal open.
Hermione reacted quickly. She immediately pulled up Harry and Ron, who were still sprawled on the floor, and shoved them into the ring of golden sparks. Silas jumped in last, and the portal rapidly closed behind him and vanished.
All that remained in the Third Floor Corridor was Fluffy, its fur standing on end, dizzy and disoriented from the shock, still whimpering amid the lingering smell of scorched fur and faint ozone.
In the corridor of Gryffindor Tower, Harry, Ron, and Hermione collapsed on the floor, still shaken as they gasped for breath. Silas leaned against the wall, calming his slightly labored breathing after consecutively casting advanced magic.
"Merlin..." Ron muttered. "What... what kind of monster was that..."
Harry looked at Silas, his eyes full of lingering fear and gratitude. "Silas... thank you... We..."
Silas waved a hand and cut him off, his face returning to its usual lazy, slightly impatient expression. "Enough. Save the nonsense. Get back to your dormitory and sleep! No one is allowed to tell anyone about tonight! Potter, Weasley, keep your mouths shut! If Snape or... anyone else finds out that we entered the forbidden area on the third floor, we're all finished!"
He glared at Harry and Ron, then let out a huge yawn. "I'm exhausted... I lost even more of my precious sleep time saving you two... If you get yourselves killed again next time, I really won't help."
With that, without waiting for a response, he raised his hand and opened another portal to Ravenclaw Tower. He stepped through without looking back, leaving the three Gryffindors staring at one another in the empty corridor, their hearts full of relief at surviving and complicated, unspoken gratitude toward Silas—as well as shock at his abilities.
Before you continue